FRENCH COMMUNITY: Shock Waves

When Charles de Gaulle launched his
stripling French Community two years ago, pundits the world over hailed
him for his shrewd and generous accommodation to African nationalism.
French officialdom, though less starry-eyed about the conversion of
France's former African empire into a voluntary association of twelve
states, thankfully noted the pro-French attitudes of most of the
Community's moderate black leaders. But last week, suddenly struck from
all sides by political shock waves, De Gaulle's liberal experiment was
creaking at its seams.